JapanBargain S-3104, Japanese Style Steel Grass Sickle with Wooden Handle

My sickle arrived this morning, and I took it out into the garden intending to just whack it about for a minute to see how it worked. I ended up staying out there for 15 minutes and quickly cleared a large section of my side garden that had been invaded by bishop's weed. The tool is very light and the blade is sharp enough to cut grasses and green plant stems like a hot knife through butter. It's much faster and more precise than a weed whacker, so it didn't damage the wild geraniums and other plants I wanted to keep that had been surrounded by the bishop's weed. (Plus, it's quiet and doesn't use any electricity. Bonus!)I see some previous reviewers had very high expectations for the sickle. Take note that this is not an industrial-grade tool for harvesting wheat! If that's what you expect, you'll be disappointed. But if you want to clear out weeds and grasses from lawns and gardens around your home, this is the best tool ever, and at this price, it's the bargain of the year.

This is a lightweight tool for quick cuts that surprised me with the good quality of the blade. Typically, tools leave the factory with a 'factory edge' on the blade which means it's 'good enough for government work' but relies on your putting the final spit-n-polish on for it to really shine. This was not the case here: from the get-go it was sharp as sin and made light work of my gardening chores.The kama is typically used for harvesting grasses like wheat, but I wanted something better than my Job-Lots quality weeding tools. In heavy, compacted city soil it excelled at removing all manner of weeds in the back garden. In the country at my in-laws', I got through an entire tomato garden in about 20 minutes of sweaty (but easy!) work. The blade is lightweight. After a few days of work, I did bend the very tip as I was working through some rocky New England soil. This is NOT the reason for my four-star rating--the fault was mine alone as I was working in an area of the garden unknown to me, and, in plain language, misused the tool.I want to stress, this tool is traditionally employed for harvesting, NOT weeding. I'm telling you how I (mis)used it to give you an idea of its potential. I hacked down a 3" bamboo using it. It took many repeated blows (because 3" bamboo is, well, heavy and thick) but the cuts were consistent and clean. I have no experience clearing bamboo so my lack of technique really dragged out the affair, but it worked. Again, this is NOT an 'approved use' of the tool and using it in such a manner does expose you to unnecessary labor and perhaps risk, depending on your skill level. (My skill level: novice.)Why four stars instead of five? Always the question. Although every tool has limits--a 'deployment envelope'--that must be respected, this tool does have an intrinsic weakness that *is* related to its manufacture. The blade is attached to the handle via a through-riveted tang. The wood is very light, and the lightweight method of attachment means that any torquing/twisting through the swing arc WILL stress the handle and/or tang to or beyond breaking point.One note related to the tool (and the other reviews): the vendor apparently has purchased this same tool from different sources. I purchased this in July 2016, so your delivery might vary or be the same or None of the Above. My blade is undressed light-gauge mild tool steel. It is not black. The tool itself is Chinese-made though there were Japanese characters (in addition to Chinese) on the label.Someone asked about its use as a martial arts weapon. Without dragging it out, yes, it is a kama, and yes, kama are used as weapons in certain martial arts, but no, the construction of this one renders it...unwise...to use as a weapon or training tool.Use this tool for its purpose and I think you'll be very happy with it. In the future, I'll confine it to cutting grasses and strangling vines rather than weeding, though, as noted, it did very well there.

Like advertised. Came on time, EXTEAMLY SHARP!! Works very well I am very happy I would buy it again.It takes 1 or 2 times to get used to using it but it chops weeds like a winner! I use it to get rid of the weeds that are growing close to the house that I can not use the Weed Wacker on. Also good for supper small jobs such as you walk out side and see a weed. Thus you don't have to gear up for 1 weed and use the Weed Wacker. Excellent garden exercise but use common sense. Can use Right/Left handed no problems.

👍

Not sharp enough the quality is just so so, not worth the money I paid.

9/27/2012 update - Amazon notified me that "a customer just told us your review was helpful to them while shopping on Amazon". I was surprised to see the current average rating as 3.5 star (because the only other customer rating is 5) and the price went up to $13. To caution potential buyers, I have to lower the average rating by resetting my rating to 1 star. Seriously, the longer time you keep it, the more disappointed you would feel - why the manufacturer not to use common steel for the blade with the same design and manufacturing effort?Original review - This is not a regular sickle for agricultural or serious yard/gardening work, but a kind of miniature for VERY light yard work. The blade is not made of steel, but likely of iron as it gets blunt so easily. It's still of some practical use. Reasonably, I think it shall be priced for $5, instead of the current price $10.

Okay, I've had this a year now... and it's awesome. The blade comes usably sharp, but a couple touchups with a slip stone and it becomes lovely. The handle is super light, and just a touch out of round so it's ergonomic for a right-hander. I use it for selective culling of Canada thistle and other large weeds- this lets me cut large stalks very easily with less bending, just sitting on a 5-gallon bucket and leaning over. The benefit of cutting just the weeds, and letting the surrounding grass grow tall, is that the grass then shades the weed regrowth, and smothers it. Slow, but no chemicals.Word of warning -- this things handle is only about 18 inches long, so it's smaller than it looks.

I have used mine slightly, I bought it as a reference piece as I wanted to make one. Handle is incredibly cheap, and the edge came very poor, but with some work you can make the edge beautiful. Blade is too thin and flexes a lot but it works for the small stuff.

Seems like a quality blade, handle is the wonder wood, but should do nicely in the spring cutting back Lavender plants

値段の割によく切れます。刃渡りは少し狭いですが、軽く使い勝手はまずまず合格点です。

とても使いやすくよくきれましたひろ

まず歯がそこそこ切れますが重さが全体に軽いですね鎌は重さで切りつけるんですよ、そうでないと疲れやすくて手首が痛くなる、これで草刈りはきついですね。若竹もこれでは切れにくいです、もう少し重さを吟味して、歯の厚さも薄いので残念ですね。